


The Dark Side Of Me

by Mary_chat



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Aged-Up Character (s), F/M, Identity Reveal, Love / HateHurt, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2021-01-05
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:02:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28439559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_chat/pseuds/Mary_chat
Relationships: Adrien Agreste / Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe
Kudos: 3





	1. Memories

###  Marinette kept her gaze on the window. The City of Lights stretched out before her eyes, and as the plane began to descend, she felt her heart pounding. Excitement and apprehension led a frenzied dance that made her head spin. 5 years. 5 years since she had not set foot in the capital. She hadn't dared to return, the events of the last night still haunting her mind. The memories resurfacing, she felt a shiver run down her back. She took a breath and closed her eyes, trying to avoid the guilt that still paralyzed her after all her years. She couldn't forgive herself and doubted she could ever do it.

* * *

_She didn't know what had made her decide to come in person that night. By dint of seeing his victims fail one after the other, the Butterfly had perhaps lost patience and had come to steal their miraculous with his own hands. A single conviction ignited him: tonight would be their last fight. As her breathing quickened, she suddenly felt the presence of Cat Noir behind her back, who had joined her, also panting. The echo of their footsteps choked in the inky sky, as they pursued, leaping and breathlessly, the Butterfly who seemed to escape them a little more with each stride. Ladybug refused to see him disappear. Her lungs were burning, desperately crying for oxygen, but the heroine picked up the pace again. Finding still an ounce of energy deep inside, it surged in his movements which redoubled in intensity. Cat moaned behind her, before accelerating in turn and getting up to her level. Without losing sight of her goal, Ladybug glanced at him, was about to greet him and explain the situation to him as best she could, but her mouth closed as soon as she saw the pallor of his face. It was he who spoke first. Between gasps, words found their way to Ladybug's ears._

_-My… My Lady… I can't… can't… he gasped and stopped abruptly._

_Ladybug took a few seconds before reacting. Realizing the situation, she suddenly retraced her steps. She froze in front of him, her hands on her knees, a nauseating bile rising up her throat. She swallowed the urge to throw up. As she took a sharp breath, she felt Cat's hands rest on her shoulders, her eyes searching hers. She raised her head and was alarmed under his desperate gaze. Her hair stuck to her forehead, drops of sweat beaded on her temples. Her face was distorted with so many emotions that Marinette couldn't distinguish and understand them all. While she wanted to see courage and will in it, the strength in his gaze expressed something that she hadn't expected. Sadness. Of infinite sadness, crossed by anxiety, of fear and incomprehension. As if he felt betrayed. His lips quivered, parted to close as if he wanted to say something he didn't want. He looked away, the city lights reflecting in the tears he was swallowing. He ended up muttering almost inaudible words._

_-I ... I can't ..._

_The words broke in his throat. After a silence that seemed to last for eternity, he finished his sentence._

_-I can no longer fight this Ladybug fight._

_His words hit her head on. Did she hear correctly? Cat was giving up? Why now ? Was it because his muscles couldn't hold him anymore?_

_Unwittingly, she felt anger rise within her and burn her from within. She knew his reaction was crazy. But every second was precious. Every second the Butterfly moved farther and farther away. Every second they were losing their chance, their only chance to defeat him._

_She couldn't give up as easily as Cat did, she refused herself. So she exploded._

_-What ?! Monsieur doesn't want to run out of steam and give up, right? She shook her head. After all the fights we have waged, after having seen more than a hundred people get akumatized, after YOU have seen these people suffer, are you giving up because you are tired?_

_She spat the words in his face, her voice poisonous._

_\- So you have no compassion? No will? Regardless Cat Noir, never, never would I give up until the Butterfly was defeated. Stay here if you want, but don't waste my time listening to your morons._

_Surprised, he recoiled at the ferocity of her words, which surprised her even. She knew his words were insane, that she had taken the liberty of making a supposition as superficial as mere physical weakness to justify her abandonment. She should have given him the chance to explain. But like a fleeting drop of water, time was slipping through their fingers and Ladybug couldn't afford such a mistake. She made her choice. As she turned her back to chase, she felt a pressure on her wrist._

_-What ?!_

_She turned to glare at him. He lowered his head, annoyed and silent. She tried to free her arm, to no avail._

_-What ?! Cat Noir if you want to give up, fine, but don't make me do the same. Leave me !_

_-No ! It's not that ! I…_

_Again, that same deep, bewildered gaze. Her mouth opened, no words came out. Ladybug lost patience at the silence of his protest. With a sudden movement, she untied her arm this time without finding resistance and resumed her frantic run. She had made her choice. The choice of ease._

_Cat Noir, dejected, watched Ladybug's figure disappear into the shadows of the night. Her released tears flowed gently down her cheeks._

* * *

The plane lands, bringing Marinette back to reality. She had turned this scenario over and over in her head, trying to figure out why Chat Noir had given up, never finding any answers. She rubbed her eyes. _I had seen. Since something was wrong. His whole being was asking for me, asking for my compassion and my understanding. He wanted to tell me something that was not happening. Instead of listening to him, I turned my back on him._

As soon as the plane stopped, the travelers got up to take their luggage. Marinette remained seated, motionless, imperturbable despite the movement of the passengers. She sighed. _Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come back._


	2. Chapter 2

"Speed up, speed up ..." She arrived late at her parents' house, again. For an Akuma, again. Now if they are going to get angry. It was the fourth time a week and it's only Wednesday. 

She opened the door of her house and the first thing she sees is her mother in the kitchen looking into her eyes with a disappointed face. 

"I'm sorry maman, poppa..." She tries to think of an excuse but before forming one her mother stops her.

"Marinette, when I asked for your help you told me that you were at school finishing your homework. 2 hours have passed since then, what excuse are you going to tell me and don't say it was because of an Akuma, because he appeared at the Hotel Le Grand Paris and not he came out of there until Ladybug beat him " 

"Well that's because ..." She tried to say the excuse formed. "Marinette" but her father cuts her off, another disappointed face. "Daughter, we cannot tolerate this lack of commitment on your part, with your mother we have decided to punish you. From tomorrow you will start sending orders to the new cafeteria" Bleu "after the co .... 

Marinette is no longer listening. She is tired of disappointing her parents. But she doubts her parents will understand her if she can't tell the truth. Now she has this new commitment, if she fails again they will give her more where they will be on top of her. That way it can't be Ladybug, it will disappoint Paris. 

She does not know when her parents stopped talking or how she got to her room. 

"Tikki, what am I going to do."

"Marinette, you'll see. You are lucky on your side, something will occur to you." Something must occur to me, she thought.   
______________  
The next day.

Luck is not on her side.

She was late for school, another late entry. Thirty minutes less to take her exam, she answered everything, but she'd have to admit that the last 10 questions were done to luck. They gave her more homework and because she fell asleep she had to make a report that was related to a couple, but since Lila attended, someone had to do only one job. Finally she had to cancel the outing with her friends to fulfill her punishment.

She even believed that her bad luck would end, but did not say that another Akuma would appear after leaving home. Now if she was going to fail her parents, she would not be able to make the delivery on time. 

After defeating the Akuma.

"What am I going to do Tikki, if I go to the cafeteria they will throw the macaroni in my face for being late? 

"Don't worry Marinette, maybe you're still on time" Tikki said optimistically.

She opened the cafeteria door and saw a young man turning his back. 

"A little cat on the roof just watches without his ..." The boy was singing softly until he turned around and saw her "or good afternoon, how can I help you?" He said with a smile on his face, but what caught his attention the most were his green eyes. I've seen those eyes somewhere, she thought. 

"I ... I brought macones ... I say macarons .. wait are macaroons" She wanted to hit herself for stuttering. 

"You must be the order from Tom & Sabine bakery " seems to be very polite not to scoff. 

"Yes, I am his daughter. Excuse me for the delay, but an Akuma showed up and I had to use another path"

"Don't worry, I understand ..." He looked at her as if asking for her name. 

"Marinette, I am Marinette" She didn't understand why he thought she knew what he was asking. 

"Marinette, what a nice name. I'm Adrien" at all times he showed a smile, that he couldn't help but smile back. 

His smile is beautiful.


End file.
